True darkness
by Nalet
Summary: Even after they escaped the unknown, Wirt is still becoming part of the beast's forest.


"Wirt, honey, it's time to get up. You have school today!" Wirt 'so mother called from downstairs.

Wirt got up out of bed, and went straight to the bathroom. He brushed his teeth and combed through his brown hair. He walked over to his closet and dug around for an outfit to wear to school. He looked and looked until he saw something in the back of his closet. Is was a blue cape with six yellow buttons on it. With the cape was a tall pointed red hat. He stared at those clothes as he recalled the events that took place the last time he wore the costume. He remembered seeing his brother lay in front of him seconds away from death. A chill went up his spine as he saw that picture in his head.

Wirt grabbed an outfit and shut the closet door as quickly as he could. He got dressed and walked down the stairs. He saw his mother, Greg, and his step-father all sitting at the table eating their breakfast. Everyone had a bowl of their favorite kind of cereal.

Wirt looked at Greg and for second he saw the branches wrap around the small child once again. Wirt blinked and rubbed his eyes, and the branches were gone.

"Wirt, why don't you eat some breakfast?" His step-father suggested.

"No I'm not really that hungry." Wirt declined.

He grabbed his bag and began to head towards the door.

"Don't forget you have therapy today." His mother reminded him.

Ever since Halloween Wirt's mom has been making him take therapy sessions. Wirt never really wanted them, so he makes sure he doesn't say too much about what happened in the unknown. Although sometimes something might spill.

Wirt went to school and things were pretty normal. He had become friends with Sarah and her friends. Not much had happened that day at all. After the last bell rang Wirt left to go to his therapy.

"Look I know that there is part of this that you don't want to tell me, but I can't help unless I know what's wrong." The therapist, Mrs. Green, said after a few minutes of the session.

"I've told you everything." Wirt lied. "When I was in the comma I remember feeling like I was lost in the woods when I found my way out I woke up." He knew he would have to say something about the forest, but this was all he would tell.

"I know there's more to it then that. I've noticed you've been a bit protective of your brother." She told him.

"He almost died and he was under my supervision." Wirt said.

"Wirt you came closer to death than your brother did." Mrs. Green informed him.

Wirt looked up at her, eyes widened in shock.

 _How could this be possible._ He thought. _He was the one that almost died. I saw it._

"Was your brother there in the forest with you?" The therapist asked.

"Yes" Wirt said.

"And was his experience better or worse than yours."

Wirt thought long and hard about this. While he did come closer to death, Greg only remembers the unknown as a happy place.

"I-I don't know." Wirt answered.

Mrs. Green placed a hand on Wirt's leg and smiled sincerely at him. "You can tell me what happened."

Wirt took a deep breath and thought about telling her what happened, but decided against it.

"I did." He lied once again.

The rest of the session went pretty quietly. Though that was normal considering Wirt refused to tell the truth.

When the session was over Wirt began to walk home.

He walked through the door to see Greg acting out the potato and molasses song in front of his parents.

"Well that sounds like an incredible dream you had Greg." Their mother said.

Wirt cringed at this word "dream" as if the whole experience was nothing but an innocent adventure they had in their sleep.

"How was school?" Their mother asked when she noticed Wirt.

"Normal." he answered before walking to his bedroom.

They watched him go upstairs, and heard the door close.

"Hey Greg why don't you go and play with your big brother." His mother said.

Greg do as he was told and excitedly joined his brother.

"I'm worried about him." She said.

"Who? Greg?" Gregg's father joked.

"Wirt's been different ever since Halloween." She said.

"I'm sure it'll pass after a few months." He said.

"It's December." Their mother said worried.

"How would you feel if you woke up in a hospital and were told that you nearly died?" He asked.

"Well I'd be surprised, but I don't think I would shut everyone out the way he did." She said.

"He's a teenager that's what teens do." He tried to assure her.

"Yeah but teens go to spend time with their friends, he just stays up there alone." She worried.

"I promise you Wirt will be fine." Her husband told her.

Greg was playing upstairs in his brothers room while Wirt tried to write more poetry.

 _Darkness_

 _Some people fearless_

 _Others feel distress_

 _What true darkness is we may never know_

Wirt stopped writing the poem. He crumbled up the paper and throw it in the trash.

"What's wrong?" Greg asked innocently.

"All I can think of is the beast and I don't know why." Wirt said. "Do... Do you ever think of the beast?"

"No not really, but I do think about Beatrice when will we see her again?" Greg asked.

Wirt froze, he had no idea what to say to him.

"Well Beatrice lives pretty far away, and she's pretty busy. I don't know if we'll see her anytime soon." Wirt said trying not to disappoint him too much.

"Well the next time you see her tell her to stop being so busy." Greg said.

"I'll see what I can do." Wirt said.


End file.
